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I have a little problem. I'm addicted to cookbooks, food writing, recipe collecting, and cooking. I have a lot of recipes waiting for me to try them, and ideas from articles, tv, and restaurants often lead to new dishes. I started losing track of what I've done. So now I'm taking photos and writing about what I've prepared—unless it's terrible in which case I forget it ever happened.

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Thursday, September 10, 2009

There was an article in the August issue of Food and Wine (Farm-Fresh French Recipes) with several great-looking recipes I intended to try. Among those recipes were chilled zucchini soup with purslane, brown rice pilaf with green olives and lemon, oven-roasted tomatoes stuffed with goat cheese, and basil limeade slushies. Unfortunately, I was having the kind of day during which everything that could go wrong did. I had brought home some heirloom tomatoes that were real beauties, and I had procured some goat cheese, and my own basil plants are still going strong. I made the goat cheese stuffing, placed it in the tomatoes, and roasted them. No problems there. However, when I reached into the oven to remove the baking dish, it slipped out of my hands, and the tomatoes and goat cheese stuffing landed upside down and smooshed all over the oven door and the floor. By some miracle, the dish didn’t break, but brunch was ruined. Later that night, I had much better luck with these slushies before dinner. As for the name, I previously made watermelon margarita ‘slushes’ while these are named ‘slushies.’ Tomayto tomahto. I’ve just gone with the name that was printed with each recipe.

There’s a note at the beginning of the recipe stating that by adding rum these would make great cocktails. So, of course, especially after my unfortunate morning, I made them into rum cocktails. Ice, water, lime juice, basil leaves, sugar, and rum were blended. That mixture was poured into glasses and was topped with sparkling water.

I actually used a bit less sugar than suggested which made our slushies nice and tart. The basil and lime together was a delicious combination that mixed very well with rum. I was certain this would be a concoction that only I would enjoy, but Kurt actually gave it a big thumbs-up. Regardless of how your day is going, these slushies would be a nice part of it, and I’m sure they’d be just as good even if you left out the rum.

OH! this is just the best flavor I have come across during all these summer months! what a refreshing drink, & what an easy thing to do. we make the limeade all the time at home, & I have so much basil growing. Thanks Lisa, this is a keeper.! I am sure my hubby will add some alcohol to this:-)

Perfect for the summer! I've never had basil in slushy before and now I am curious about it. Too bad about the tomatoes and goat cheese stuffing, but these things happen. Something similar happened to me recently too, it's no fun!